Refrigerator top



R. E. BAKER 2,189,389

REFRIGERATOR TOP Filed Feb. 1, 1936 INVENTOR.

flier! Baker. BY

ATTORN E Y5 Patented Feb. 6, 1940 i REFRIGERATOR 'ror Robert E. Baker,Muncie, Ind., assignor-- to Glascock Brothers'Mfg. 00., Muncie, Ind., a

corporation of Indiana Application 7 February 1,

1 Claim.

My invention relates to improvements in 010- sures for refrigerators or.like containers.

One of the objects of my invention is to' provide a closure, primarilyfor refrigerators, of the 5. horizontally disposed sliding type whereinthere are provided a plurality of closure members, one adapted to slideon the top of the other toexpose-the contents of the container, which,when closed, shall effectively seal the top of the container against theingress of warm air. Another object of my invention is to provide aslidingpanel closure top wherein the difierent panels are adapted all tolie in substantially the same plane and which are so arranged that whenone panel is slid to open position, itwill not disturb the position ofthe other panel, either in its opening movement or in its closingmovement.

Further objects and advantages of the invention will appear more fullyin the appending specification and claim.

' For the purpose of disclosing myinvention, I have illustrated in theaccompanying drawing an embodiment thereof. In said drawing;

Fig. 1 is a perspective view of the top of a refrigerator embodyingmyinvention;

Fig. 2 is a partial plan-view; and Fig. 3 is a longitudinal'view on theline 3-3 of Fig. 1. I In the embodiment illustrated, the refrigerator I.is provided with a top frame 2 substantially rectangular in shape andhaving an internal flange 3. Theinner edge of this internal inwardlyextending flange is slightly depressed as at 8 whereby a slightlydepressed flange surrounds the opening in the top of the container.Intermediate of the ends of the opening in the container, I provide across bar 5 which extends between the two side edges of the frame 3 andpreferably takes the shape of a sheet metal tube 6 filled withinsulating material 1. The top surface of this cross bar lies in thesameplane as the top surface of the recessed edge l and the two side wallsof the cross barare inclined or cammed as at 3. This cross bar, ineffect, divides the top opening into two portions or provides twoopenings in the top. Each of these openings is closed by a cover member8--| 3 preferably formed of sheet metal and having a thickened portion 9adapted to be filled with insulating material. Surrounding the thickenedportion, however, is a flange portion in adapted to rest on the recessededge 4 and-that flange portion H adjacent the cross bar 5 is adapted torest on the cross bar, thereby effectually sealing the opening when thecover member is in position. The end 1936, Serial No. 61,853,"

of the cover member adjacent the cross bar is inclined as at l2 tocoincide with the inclined portion 6. of the cross bar. It will be notedthat when the cover members are in closed position, they lie insubstantially thesaine horizontal plane 5 and effectually seal theopening or openings in the top of the refrigerator against the ingressof air. Each of the cover members is of substantially the'sameconstruction so that it is hardly necessary to specifically describe theopposite cover member I3.

For guiding each cover member, when it is slid laterally to openposition, up and over the adjacent cover member, I provide on each sideof the frame I a longitudinally extending track 14. Each of these tracksis the same so that a description of one will be sufficient for both.Each of the tracks I4 is provided with a pairof cammed or inclinedportions I5 and H5 inclined in one direction and a second pair ofinclined portions i1 and I8 inclined in the opposite direction. Thecammed portions 5 and i 8 are preferably formed by cutting inclinedslots downwardly through the track, thereby leaving a center triangularportion l9 between the two end sections of the track.

At the apex of the triangular section, I provide a. pivotedswitch member20, pivoted to swing to a position to close either of the slots orrather to bridge-either of the slots, depending upon which of the coverpanels or cover members is moved. 30 Each of the cover members or panelsis provided with transversely extending rods 2!, the ends 22 of whichare adaptedto project over the track sections so that the ends will rideon the track sections when the cover member is slid transversely. f

The operation of the device is obvious. When cheer the cover-members, asmember 53, is slid laterally in an open direction, the projecting ends22 of the rods will ride up respectively on the cam or inclined tracksurfaces l5 and it. If the switch member 20 is in a position to closethe gap in the track above the track surface 16, the projection 22 onone of the rodswill, as the rod rides up the incline, eventually strikethis pivoted switch. member and cause it to swing to the positionillustrated in Fig. 1 forming a complete track so that the projections22 can ride on the topof the track member. above the adjacent cover orpanel member 8 and sufliciently clear the same to prevent frictionalengagement of the underside of the cover member it with the top face ofthe cover member 8. The handle 23, of which there is one provided foreach cover member, of the cover member 8, will act as a stop wardlyalong the side of the track members and projecting somewhat above theupper edges of the track members.

I claim as my invention:

A container, having a plurality of dispensing openings therein, asliding closure member for each of said openings, having a portionengaging the edges of said openings on all sides, said closure memberslying in the same horizontal plane, a track disposed on either side ofsaid closure members and projecting above the top surface thereof, meanson said closure members riding on said track, said track having upwardlyinclined portions adjacent at least the leading edges of said closuremembers and having a pair of gaps therein, a swingable member moved into0105-- ing position by the movement of a sliding member for closing oneof said gaps to permit a continued movement of the track engagingmembers.

' ROBERT E. BAKER.

